FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 6, 2015—Los Angeles, California
The Humane Party today announced its first annual American Abolition Day celebration. This announcement coincides with the 150th anniversary of ratification of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which amendment was ratified on December 6th, 1865. The 13th Amendment abolished human slavery throughout the United States of America.
In observance of American Abolition Day, the Humane Party also today released the final text of the American Primate Emancipation (“APE”) Amendment. This proposed Constitutional amendment buttresses the pre-existing provisions of 13th Amendment through addition of new substantive and procedural protections. Specifically, the APE Amendment:
- eliminates the 13th Amendment’s exception for criminal cases
- abolishes slavery with respect to all primates
- recognizes habeas corpus mechanism for protecting the rights of all primates
- recognizes guardian ad litem mechanism for protecting the rights of all primates
Development of the text of the APE Amendment included three public comment periods during 2015. After all public comments had been reviewed and final revisions made, the final version of the APE Amendment was signed into its current form on October 19, 2015, by Clifton Roberts, Chief Executive Officer of the Humane Party at that time.
The Humane Party plans to publish a proposed Constitutional amendment emancipating all other animals on American Abolition Day 2016.
Full Text of the American Primate Emancipation (“APE”) Amendment
The American Primate Emancipation Amendment reads as follows:
Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude of any primate shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Section 2. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall be available to ensure the rights of all primates.
Section 3. Every primate who does not have a guardian shall be provided a guardian ad litem when necessary to protect the primate’s rights.
Section 4. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
About the Humane Party
The Humane Party, which launched in 2009, is the U.S.’s first fully abolitionist political party. The Humane Party platform calls for abolishing the property status of all animals throughout the United States of America. For more information visit www.humaneparty.org.
Enmienda para la Emancipación de los Primates en los Estados Unidos de América (“APE”)
Sección 1. Ni la esclavitud ni la servidumbre involuntaria de ningún primate existirá dentro de los Estados Unidos ni ningún lugar sujeto a su jurisdicción.
Sección 2. El privilegio del auto de habeas corpus estará disponible para garantizar los derechos de todos los primates.
Sección 3. A cada primate que no tenga un tutor se le proporcionará un tutor ad litem cuando sea necesario para proteger los derechos del primate.
Sección 4. El Congreso tendrá el poder para hacer cumplir este artículo mediante
The Humane Herald 